The neuropsychiatric biopolitics of dementia and its ethnicity problem

Sociological analyses of dementia have long drawn on critiques medicalisation and the medical model. This approach fails to account for late 20th/early 21st century expansion neuropsychiatric biopolitics, wherein a more subtle pervasive (self-)governance health, illness, life itself is at stake. Since 1970s, new imaginings been promoted, as evident in government, third sector research trajectories. From 2000s, engagements with ethnicity played an increasingly important role these Minority ethnic (ME) populations emerged type problem. Observations about diagnosis rates timings, medication nursing support (including care home admission) are normatively appraised associate minority poor outcomes. These outcomes then attributed purported cultural shortcomings populations. The emergence (minority) problem supports biopolitics dementia, citizens must govern their conduct accordingly so not become like imagined ‘ethnic’ antagonist. Ultimately, dementia’s newfound may serve interests people affected by much researchers field, who should therefore reflect own contributions.